Representatives of the Strategy for a European and Civic Montenegro - STEGA will file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court due to, as they said, the illegal awarding of this year's Thirteenth of July Award to writer Bećir Vuković.
They organized a press conference today to celebrate the award ceremony at the entrance to Villa Gorica and announced that a blockade and protest will be held at the same location tomorrow, starting at 19:30 PM.
Montenegrin scientist Dragan Hajduković pointed out that it is important to distinguish between the important and the unimportant, and that in this case the most important thing is that the award, as he states, was awarded contrary to the law.
"The award was made illegally. Therefore, it is not valid. Today or tomorrow morning I will file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court. When the court determines that the jury acted illegally, that is a victory," said Hajduković.
He referred to Article 17 of the Law on State Awards of Montenegro, which has only 89 words and, as he explained, very clearly defines the conditions for awarding.
"That article states that the Thirteenth of July Award is awarded for exceptional achievements in the following areas: culture and artistic creation, sports, natural and social sciences, economy and ecology. There is also a sixth category - in all other areas of work and creativity. So, all areas are covered," Hajduković said.
However, the key point, as he pointed out, is in the third paragraph of that article.
"It clearly states: no more than one award can be given in one field. If three scientists win the award, that's illegal. If three artists win it, that's also illegal. Even if three athletes won a gold, silver and bronze medal at the Olympics, it would still be illegal," Hajduković said.
He believes that the goal of this provision is to prevent discrimination in any area and ensure equal treatment of all branches of human creativity.
"The jury's decision is not only illegal, but also discriminatory. I am surprised that, for example, a member of the jury who is a mathematician did not stand up in defense of science and its dignity. I am even more surprised that all the members signed the minutes that should not have been signed," said Hajduković, adding that among them there are people whom he respects immensely.
He also addressed comments that he had not previously reacted to similar actions by the former government.
"I was a candidate for the 2014th of July Award in 2015 and XNUMX. At that time, DPS did not even allow me to be on the list of candidates. Therefore, my insistence on respecting the law has nothing to do with the personalities of this year's winners, nor with DPS. This is a fight for principles, for dignity and equal treatment of all areas of human creativity," said Hajduković.
Montenegrin harpist Milica Kankaraš-Berber said that the illegalities related to the awarding of the Thirteenth of July Award are not happening only this year, but that it is a continuity of irregularities that have been going on since at least 2019.
"We have a situation where almost every year two or even all three awards are given in the field of cultural and artistic creativity, which is against the law. The award is regularly given to people whose, conditionally speaking, artistic contribution is inversely proportional to their political suitability," said Kankaraš-Berber.
She believes that this is a systemic abuse and calls on the competent institutions to react.
"It is evident that political parties are putting pressure on jury members and employees of the Ministry of Culture. We have had a clear pattern since 2019. I think it is high time for the prosecution to launch an investigation and determine which parties and which individuals are abusing their position to enable the award to be given to politically suitable persons, who de facto and de jure cannot deserve it," Kankaraš-Berber pointed out.
She pointed out the neglect of other areas, such as science and sports.
"This year we have scientists who discovered a new species of genus and celebrated Montenegro in the world of science. Why are such successes ignored? Why are exceptional athletes and other creators neglected, while people whose artistic work cannot objectively be compared to such achievements are rewarded?" asked Kankaraš-Berber.
She said that the editorial staff of the magazine Zrcalo.me tried to find the book "Houses without a Housekeeper", which won the Thirteenth of July Award.
"We contacted all the bookstores, but none of them had the book, and many had never even heard of it. We contacted the Ministry of Culture, which provided us with the book's title and ISBN number, but under that number is not the book "Houses without a Housekeeper", but a completely different book "Taken to the Desert". So, the book that is claimed to have won the award does not exist," Kankaraš-Berber pointed out.
She assessed that this was an agreed-upon, pre-orchestrated selection of winners, without any verification or expert assessment.
"This year, they really went to extremes. The decision on the winner was obviously made in advance. They didn't even bother to read the collection of poems by the author in question, they didn't even know the real title," said Kankaraš-Berber.
Director Danilo Marunović said that the fight to preserve the values of July 13th is a fight for the essence of Montenegrin society, and called on citizens to peacefully protest against, as he stated, the abuse of the state award.
"We are witnessing one important thing – the vitality of civic activism and loyalty to the greatest achievements of this country. That is, first and foremost, July 13th," said Marunović.
He pointed out the symbolism of the gathering location.
"We are standing in front of the closed gates of a state institution, where, not so long ago, a great betrayal of Montenegrin interests took place - the signing of the shameful fundamental agreement. And tomorrow, at that very same place, another diversion is scheduled - the awarding of the July 13th Award, in the name of the values that July XNUMXth symbolizes, but in fact against them. We will no longer allow mockery of these values," Marunović stressed.
Speaking about the need for civil resistance, he called on the public to take action.
"We have no right to compromise when it comes to the honor of this country. That is why I call on all citizens who have Montenegro in their hearts, who cherish the ideas of July 13th, to come tomorrow and peacefully protest in front of the award ceremony. Under the slogan Non pasaran, we must not allow the cars that will participate in this shameful ceremony to pass," said Marunović.
He believes this award is "fixed".
Director and director of the FIAT International Alternative Theatre Festival, Ana Vukotić, said that this year's jury decision is deeply humiliating for the creators and the very meaning of the award.
She recalled that this year FIAT nominated the organization "The Books of Books" and began her presentation with a metaphor.
"Imagine a country where the highest state award goes to a book that doesn't exist. Imagine a culture in which the non-existent is enough for an award. How much is what really exists worth then? What about those who truly create, who are humiliated again? How much longer do we have to remain silent while we watch the Thirteenth of July Award turn into recognition for oblivion, hypocrisy and humiliation? We believe that it is worth asking and that it is worth not agreeing to silence?", stated Vukotić.
She said that such a decision is not just a matter of a single jury, but a negation of fundamental values.
She particularly highlighted the ignoring of long-standing initiatives in the field of culture.
She said that today we are watching how laws are being extinguished behind closed doors, procedures are being extinguished, and the values for which this award was established are being extinguished.
"We are deeply affected and we will not remain silent. Because if we remain silent, we agree. And we do not agree. On behalf of all those who create art and affirm freedom, we say that fascism is not an option. Never," concluded Vukotić.
Civic activist Dušan Pajović believes that the awarding of the Trianestojul Award to Bećir Vuković is part of a broader process of historical revisionism and the collapse of Montenegro's anti-fascist values.
"In Montenegro, there is still a strong socialist and leftist sentiment among the people, so this cannot be implemented suddenly and openly, as in some other countries. But one of these covert mechanisms is precisely this awarding of the award to Bećir Vuković," said Pajović.
He stated that the award is being presented to a person who either did not write the work for which he is listed as the author and that it is a book that does not actually exist.
Despite this, Pajović believes, the most problematic thing is that this award affirms ideas that deny Montenegrin identity and anti-fascist tradition.
"Vuković claims that Montenegrins are a fabrication of Đilas and the Comintern, while he sees Draža Mihailović as a victim and a hero. And Draža was a collaborator and a criminal. It is precisely because of the same Comintern that he despises that he has the freedom to speak publicly today, and we have the freedom to oppose him. Because if it weren't for anti-fascists, we would all be slaves of the "Aryan race" today," said Pajović.
He warned that the goal of revisionism is to cause confusion among people, so that they no longer know what is true and what is false, and to think that both fascists and anti-fascists are part of some "ancient debate" without a clear historical conclusion.
"It is not true that we do not know who was on which side of history. The truth is clear. We are here today to say that July 13th is not a myth, but a real value and obligation. And to cherish what people fought for in the uprising and through this award," said Pajović.
Civic activist and journalist Tanja Pavićević said that awarding the Thirteenth of July Award to Bećir Vuković was not a mere mistake, but a clear political message, "and a dangerous one at that."
"Awarding the 13th of July Award to Bećir Vuković is not a mistake. It is a message. The message that this country is led by people who reward those who deny Montenegrins, and glorify the ideology of defeat, humiliation and assimilation," emphasized Pavićević.
She assessed that the award, in this context, is not just a symbolic act, but part of a broader political plan.
"With this election, the authorities are showing that the values advocated by Bećir Vuković and Andrija Mandić are not an incident, but a systemic part of the plan. This is the plan of the parliamentary majority and the Serbian Orthodox Church, which are jointly implementing Vučić's "Serbian World" project," said Pavicevic.
She warned that behind this decision lies not only an attempt at historical revisionism, but also an attempt at a complete ideological reversal of the foundations on which modern Montenegro was founded.
"The Bećir case exposes the intention to turn Montenegro's anti-fascist heritage into cheap currency for other people's interests. This is not a fight for a piece of paper and the 14.500 euros in prize money. This is a fight to prevent what was a Montenegrin uprising from becoming a trophy for Belgrade," emphasized Pavićević.
She said that this country still has those who will defend the values on which it was founded.
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